Requeening

[whiteoakjill]

We have an old queen due to be replaced this year, on inspection there are charged queen cells. If we remove the old queen and place her in a mini nuc at another apiary site, reducing the worker bee loss from the colony are there any negatives to this. I know effectively the colony will still have the swarming urge but if emergency q cells are knocked down will the brood break stop the urge?

we have a good osr flow at the moment and would like to maximise this.

if the virgin does not mate we will have the old q as insurance.

thanks

 

[Black Comb]

Better to put her in a 3 frame nuc.

 

[oliver90owner]

If you break down all but one, they are not going to swarm. That is for sure for a few weeks at least! Check before they are due to emerge. Miss just one more, than the one you want, and they may well still go.

With a new queen, they are less likely to swarm for the rest of the year, but only 'less likely'.

RAB